1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a Remote User Interface (RUI) system providing User Interfaces (UIs) to users in remote locations, and more particularly, to an apparatus and method for dynamically updating UIs provided to users in an RUI system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Much study has been conducted to improve home network technologies by several industry standards organizations such as Digital Living Network Alliance (DLNA), Home Audio-Video Interoperability (HAVi), and Universal Plug and Play (UPnP).
In a home network, Remote User Interface (RUI) technology may be used to allow one device to control functions of other devices. Briefly, the RUI technology, based on a client-server architecture, enables an RUI Client (RUIC) to fetch one or more UIs from an RUI Server (RUIS) so that its user may control the RUIS using the UI on the RUIC.
FIG. 1 illustrates a method by which an RUIC controls an RUIS using an RUI page and control information provided by the RUIS according to the prior art.
Referring to FIG. 1, an RUIC 110 transmits its capability information to an RUIS 100 in step 101, and the RUIS 100 delivers an RUI page and content created according to the capability information received from the RUIC 110, to the RUIC 110 in step 102, and displays the content and UI page on a screen of the RUIC 110.
Generally, the capability information transmitted by the RUIC 110 mainly includes static values such as a screen resolution and device performance. However, the device performance may include factors which vary with time such as a battery state, a network state, a memory capacity, detachable input devices, a Central Processing Unit (CPU), and a Graphic Processing Unit (GPU). Specifically, the CPU and GPU may have difficulties in smoothly rendering high-definition UI pages if their usage rates increase. However, there is no way to provide an RUIC with UI pages in which frequent changes in the performance of such a device is reflected.
Upon a change in the capability, a user may retransmit the changed capability information and re-fetch an updated UI page. In this case, however, the UI user must re-consume the content from the beginning, inconveniencing the user.